EPT
Why eSTRO Will Win the Proleague
Oh, we didn't make it this year. That sucks.
Why KT Rolster Will Win the Proleague
What? I've got to write about someone.
![[image loading]](/staff/motbob/2009091809022064.jpg)
KT have been denied for far too long. There's not really that much of a point in describing the trials that KT fans have been through; Arrian's article does a good enough job of that. The short version is that back in the glory days of KTF, with MSL winner
ChoJJa, OSL winners 
Nal_rA and Reach, and OSL almost-winner YellOw all playing in the Proleague finals, KTF still took home the silver, presumably because YellOw's curse was simply too strong for them to do otherwise.On August 7th, today's KT team will make up for the failure of its ancestors. On August 7th, KT will show us why they won the regular season so decisively. On August 8th, KT as a team will wake up, groggy after the celebration the night before, and drive home from Pusan with a prize that they've never tasted as a team before: gold.
Here's why.
Nirvana
![[image loading]](/staff/motbob/01.jpg)
Yes, I'm going to start off the argument with a big-ass picture of Flash. How else would I begin a case for KT's inevitable victory? Flash is the beginning and the end of any success that KT has. He's the best player in the world, and he's easily the favorite to win in an Ace match against any player in the playoffs. Flash has been going through a rough patch in his PL matches, but once he switches back to Pocari Sweat from water, he'll be back in his 80% winrate form!
Actually, I think there's a (non-stupid) explanation for Flash's problems over the past month. Flash has shown that he's fantastic at preparing for specific matches against players he knows he'll be facing. In his Bo5 vs Free in the Hana Daetoo MSL, and about a week earlier in his OSL semifinal against Pure, he demonstrated complete mastery over the greatest weapon that protosses at that time had to throw at him: double nexus. Six times in a row, he destroyed the build that had sent every other Terran, from Fantasy to Idra, into fits of rage.
For the upcoming Proleague finals, Flash has three weeks to prepare for the playstyles of
Bisu, 
Fantasy, EffOrt, and sKyHigh. After CJ vs SKT, the possible Ace opponents get narrowed down to two. But wait, I hear you say. What about MBC and Wemade FOX? What about their aces? Fortunately for Flash, if either Wemade or MBC ends up beating CJ/SKT, which is really unlikely, all Flash has to do is spend 8 hours per day practicing TvT.Flash has achieved enlightenment. He recently destroyed the best Zerg ever 3-0. He has three weeks with which to prepare for the upcoming finals. Why, then, would he not be the favorite prevail against any Ace opponent thrown at him?
The Glue
![[image loading]](/staff/motbob/20100331204606093.jpeg)
Yeah, that's
fOrGG. How the hell is he the glue, you ask? This season, the supporting players of KT, seemingly overnight, became competent. One theory is that the key to unlocking the players' potential was in fOrGG's arrival to the team from Hwaseung. An interview of Hoejja supports this claim:Q: The mood seems lighter on the KT team now.
A: It’s all thanks to ForGG. He has an A blood type personality (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_types_in_Japanese_culture), but he acts like an AB type, so we can never stop laughing because of him. I think he’s conquered our team (laughs).
A: It’s all thanks to ForGG. He has an A blood type personality (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_types_in_Japanese_culture), but he acts like an AB type, so we can never stop laughing because of him. I think he’s conquered our team (laughs).
I was going to use stats to support my argument but after I compiled all of them, I realized that they were horribly tainted by the fact that Minor League and Dream League were included when only taking data from "Team Leagues." Whoops! But trust me, everyone on the team not named Flash did better after fOrGG joined except for Hoejja and Luxury, both of whom were probably just really embarrassed because fOrGG kept beating them into the ground during practice.
Which brings me to fOrGG's excellent TvZ! If you look at fOrGG's stats, his TvZ clearly stands out among his other matches. This is the guy who beat Jaedong 3-0 two years before Flash was able to. If you enjoy watching the majestic power of Terran timing attacks, please go watch some VODs of fOrGG vs Zerg.
The Supporting Cast by Scaramanga
Ace in the hole: Stats
![[image loading]](/staff/motbob/stats.jpg)
chintastic!
Ace in the hole: Stats
chintastic!
Stats is playing amazing well these days. His elo rank (10th) and powerrank (6th) show that he is better than most of the six dragons at the moment, which has been really useful to KT considering the slight downturn flash has been having. Along with fOrGG, Stats has taken the reins of KT while Flash has been out of form and led them to secure the number one position, helping them to win the majority of their matches this round despite the loss of their Ace's 80% winrate.
What is really awesome about Stats is that his play in all three matchups is extremely solid. Some of the KT lineup are quite susceptible to other races; for example, against Hoejja opponents just need to send out zerg or for fOrGG they just send... not a zerg. Stats, however, has no real weakness in any match up (except against Zergs named jaedong but oz is out of the playoffs so :D) which makes him a scary thought for any opponent coach.
Plus, Stats is really sexy. Just look at him!
Entertainment Value
![[image loading]](/staff/motbob/violet.jpg)
entertaining!
entertaining!
Violet is the most entertaining player on KT by far. When he's playing he always seams to make his games amazing to watch and that’s what you need in the finals: someone with flare and charisma. At his peak, his games are some of the most amazing you'll ever see. Think Best has good PvP? Go take a look at Violet vs HeroV .Think Stork and Jangbi have good late game PvZ? Go watch Violet vs Hogil on HBR.
Hopefully we can see some ridiculous games from violet
Lucky Wins?
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/photo/1278408547_1.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i28.tinypic.com/6f70u9.jpg)
You never know. These guys could pull out some lucky wins ^^
Rookies
![[image loading]](http://www.fomos.kr/board/photo/1278746004_1.jpg)
Who is this guy? I know hoejja at the back but this guy....
Who is this guy? I know hoejja at the back but this guy....
Anyppi? Kang Hyun Woo? More like Kang Hyun Who !!!1
This protoss made his TV debut vs MBC two matches ago absolutely smashing
Saint into the ground and making him look like a C- newbie. But all you need to know is this guy is an absolute baller. This protoss showed some of the nicest macro and timing I've seen in recent PvZs. Taking into account how well
Anyppi and rOo, the other player who debuted this week, played, KT Rolster's rookies are looking extremely scary. Not only do other teams have to have to worry about the super ace's; Flash, Stats and Forgg, the regulars Violet, Tempest, Hoejja, 815 and Firefist but the rookies like Anyppi and rOo. These rookies have seen the players they are likely to play against a shit load of times, they know their opponents play styles and weaknesses in side and out. Their opponents know fuck all about how these guys play, and they seem to be hitting their stride right before the playoffs. The element of surprise: we have it.December 30th, 2010
![[image loading]](/staff/motbob/yellow.png)
December 30th is the day
YellOw will be discharged from the Airforce. Grab the gold now, KT Rolster. All the pieces are in place: you have the greatest player alive, the supporting cast is competent, and the man who carries the curse which has doomed you to destruction in the past is safely tucked away in a barracks.Fight, KT! Seize the trophy on the beach of Gwangahlli! Yours is the drill that will pierce the universe! And although all YellOw can do is watch, lest he wreck KT's best chance at a title in five years, it will be a fitting end to the long arc of professional Starcraft to see Hong Jin Ho, freshly discharged from ACE, come back to a team that is, at long last, golden.
Never winning a title, but at least if KT wins, he's coming home to a winner. 
